'Rock Band' videogame maker Harmonix lays off 40, appoints new CEO

Harmonix, the Cambridge-based maker of music-oriented video games such as "Rock Band," has laid off 37 full-time employees and appointed a new CEO, a company spokesman said Thursday.

As part of company restructuring, Harmonix has shuffled its management team by promoting head of publishing and business operations Steve Janiak to the role of CEO.

Janiak succeeds Harmonix co-founder and CEO Alex Rigopulos, who will remain a part of the management team but assume the role of chief creative officer, according to an email sent to me by a Harmonix spokesman.

The layoffs were a part of "restructuring the organization" in an effort to bring the company into alignment with current and future product development plans, according to the company.

Harmonix, founded in 1995, has more than 200 employees prior to these cuts, according to its website.

Here are other highlights from the company's statement that was sent to me today:

"This reduction in workforce is unrelated to Microsoft’s recent announcement regarding the unbundling Kinect from the Xbox One platform. We remain committed to driving innovation and fun in the music gaming space, and continue to believe in motion gaming where it can help achieve that goal."

"The restructuring does not affect any of the company's current or in-production products including 'Disney: Fantasia Music Evolved,' 'Amplitude,' or the ongoing support for 'Record Run.'"

"Harmonix is currently in production on a number of titles for a number of platforms, including console, mobile, and PC."